A mother who moved to Greenock from Romania has been supported back into work following a family break up

Roxana Algaf, who stays in Broomhill with her three-year-old son Taha, says she's thrilled to have secured a job at Amazon.

It was set up with support from Fair Start Scotland, which is run by the Wise Group social enterprise.

The 32-year-old told the Tele: "I’ve had a chance to try out new jobs that I hadn’t considered before, like working in care.

"It wasn’t for me, but I’m glad I tried it and got some experience in that line of work.

"I am now working at Amazon and getting on really well.

"Since working with the Fair Start team I have more confidence in myself.

"I realise that I am not alone and there are people here supporting me."

Three years ago Roxana and her partner came to Greenock from Romania when they were expecting their first child.

Roxana worked right up to the birth of her son and, after a few months, returned to work as the only parent with the right to work in the UK.

But in 2017, Roxana found herself living as a single parent, juggling work and family commitments following the break up of her marriage.

She said: "It was a difficult time but I never gave up trying."

Her mother Alexandrina moved to the UK to support her and allow her to continue working in her job as a courier.

However, Roxana became unemployed after her contract came to an end.

The job centre referred Roxana to Fair Start Scotland, an initiative funded by the Scottish Government to help people get into work.

A work coach signed her up to classes to work on her writing skills, helping her to make sense of the qualifications she gained in Romania and how they would translate in the UK.

Sean Duffy, chief executive of the Wise Group, says Roxana is great example of the support the organisation can offer people who are looking for employment.

He said: "The Fair Start Scotland team has worked closely with Roxana to encourage her to try new things, making sure that she received the right support to find the right job close to home.

"I’d urge anyone thinking about taking those important first steps towards work to give Fair Start Scotland a shot."

For more information about Fair Start Scotland phone 0300 3033 3814.